1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a printer and an all-in-one imaging machine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of preventing overheating of a fuser assembly for fixing an image transferred to a print sheet in the image forming apparatus and an apparatus using the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, a fuser assembly includes a heating roller and a press roller, and is an apparatus that passes a print sheet having a toner thereon through space between the heating roller and the press roller to permanently fix the toner onto the print sheet by heat and pressure. The heating roller generates heat of about 180° C. The press roller is composed of a silicon rubber. An exemplary press roller melts the toner particles stuck onto the print sheet by heat while applying a strong pressure toward the heating roller.
According to conventional art, a thick rubber layer is used for the heating roller and the press roller of the fuser assembly to guarantee fixing the toner particles to the print sheet. The response time is very long and thus the temperature of the fuser assembly rises for a while even when the heat supplied according to a temperature control is switched off. In particular, right after printing the print sheet functioning as a medium taking the heat from the fuser assembly does not pass through the fuser assembly such that the temperature of the fuser assembly also shows a sudden rise for a while even when the heat supplied according to a temperature control is switched off. Therefore, the fuser assembly may be easily melted or deformed by the sudden rise of the temperature of the fuser assembly.
Accordingly, a need exists for an image forming apparatus having a fuser assembly that is substantially prevented from overheating.